Akhilesh Yadav files nomination for legislative council

Lucknow, April 12 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Thursday filed his nomination papers for the state legislative council. Yadav, a member of parliament, needs to get elected to either of the two legislative houses in the state within six months of becoming chief minister.

The legislative council polls are slated to be held later this month.

Other than the 38-year-old chief minister, Rajendra Chowdhary (state spokesman of the Samajwadi Party), and Bahujan Samaj Party's Vijay Kumar, Thakur Jaiveer Singh and Sunil Kumar Chittod also filed nominations for the MLC seats.

BSP has 80 seats in the lower house and it would need 29 members for electing an MLC. While this would see two of its candidates through, it would require seven more votes to its remaining 22 for its third candidate to win.

Five of the BSP members whose terms draw to a close May 5 include Vijay Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Sunil Kumar Chittod, Harpal Saini and Babu Singh Kushwaha, whose name is embroiled in controversy for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore-rupee NRHM scam.

With its strength of 224 in the state assembly, the Samajwadi Party (SP) would easily get through all of its candidates, including Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.